farmland news stories on Newser

Farmland: The Next Bubble?

Kevin Spak — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:26:05 CDT

If you’re trying to spot the next big bubble that will roil markets, economist Robert Shiller has a dark horse candidate: Farmland. Sure, farm bubbles are pretty rare—there was only one in the 20th century—but prices for farmland have been booming in the US and UK, Shiller points...

For Sale: Field of Dreams

M. Morris — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:55:26 CDT

For sale: 193 acres of Iowa farmland, worth about $1 million but priced at $5.4 million. For the extra money, you get a world-famous baseball diamond that attracts some 65,000 annual visitors, and maybe a bunch of ghosts. That's right—it's the property from Field of Dreams. "It's...

Saltwater Crops Could Ease Land Demand

Rob Quinn — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:04:11 CST

A worldwide shortage of prime farmland has scientists taking a closer look at plants that thrive on briny water, Wired reports. Plants that can grow in earth too salty for other crops have huge potential for use as biofuel as well as food: One variety produces 1.7 times more...

Rich Nations Snap Up Third World Farmland

Harry Kimball — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:24:22 CST

Rich nations are buying up farmland in developing countries and drawing the ire of some critics, the Guardian reports. One UN official said the purchases, designed as a hedge against food shortages, could put poor nations at risk of starving to feed the wealthy. In "this scramble for soil I...

US Farmers See Leaner Times in Stormy Market

Jim O'Neill — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:20:00 CDT

Plunging crop prices and soaring costs are hitting US farmers with a one-two punch that’s knocked the fight out of what had been one of the stronger segments of the nation’s economy, reports the Wall Street Journal . Corn prices have dropped some 50% since July, and prices for fertilizer and...

Amish Population Booming

Peter Fearon — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:30:18 CDT

The booming Amish population has expanded far beyond its Pennsylvania Dutch country roots, drawn to new communities in a quest for cheap farmland, reports the AP. With more than 80% of its youth deciding to remain in the church, its numbers have soared from 123,000 in 1992 to 227,...

Plains States See Boom, But Await Bust

Sam Biddle — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:33:00 CDT

Driven by rising food prices and farmers’ access to loans, the Plains states are a bright economic spot amid the nationwide slump, the Washington Post reports. Farm country was able to avoid the housing bust because it also avoided the boom. And retail space is filling up as consumer spending...

Bush to Visit Flood-Battered Midwest

Rob Quinn — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:51:00 CDT

President Bush will visit flood-hit Iowa today to inspect the damage and consult with officials, Reuters reports. The state, along with much of the Midwest, has suffered the worst flooding in at least 15 years. Millions of acres of farmland have been flooded. Pressure on politicians to provide relief is...

Grain Prices Surge With Midwest Floods

Rob Quinn — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:45:04 CDT

The floods inundating the Midwest are pushing grain prices to new highs, the Wall Street Journal reports. Corn prices jumped 10% to a record high last week as farmland flooded. The domino effects will hit the ethanol industry, hog farmers, and even owners of catfish ponds who rely on corn...